The Wheel of Kin: A Daughter's Journey

All that you knew, was it true? What does it mean?

As Elara sat in the dimly lit stone room adorned with circular emblems, Ishamael's sinister presence loomed before her. His dark eyes and cruel lips made her feel utterly powerless. Still in shock from her abrupt transition into this place, she glared at the Forsaken before her.

With a mellifluous voice, Ishamael began to speak, "Ah, child, look at how you've grown." He moved slowly, circling Elara like a predator toying with its prey. "What do you want?" Elara finally demanded, her voice quivering.

Ishamael responded with a sinister smirk, his eyes fixed on her. "I know you must remember our discussion all those years ago. You were a child, so I can understand your memory could be disheveled. But mine is not. Did you really believe that I just let you leave Tel'aran'rhiod at your own will that night?"

Elara began to stand, her resolve and defiance showing. "My hesitation was not agreement. I was a child, and I was scared. I will never join the Dark. I would rather die than go against the Light."

Ishamael couldn't help but laugh at her words. "And what if I told you that you were already a part of the Dark? All the things you feel, your dreams, your visions. Do you think you were created for good when all you dream of is darkness? Your only light in life is when you are awake. That is quite the nightmare for someone who was born to live within dreams."

Elara's confusion deepened, and she felt trapped in a web of uncertainty. "I did not ask for this!"

Ishamael leaned in closer, his dark eyes piercing her soul. With a gentle stroke of her cheek, he whispered, "My dear, you are more than you know. When the time comes, you will understand what to do. Just remember, the choice was never yours, and no matter what you do, you will not be able to protect them."

With that chilling statement, Ishamael blew a gust of air at Elara, sending her spiraling back into reality.

Elara opened her eyes with a gasp for air. Her vision cleared, and she saw Nynaeve sitting next to her. She couldn't contain her joy and immediately moved to embrace Nynaeve. "You're alive! Egwene will be so relieved to see you!" Elara exclaimed.

Nynaeve gently moved Elara off of her and offered her some water. While Elara drank, Lan and Moiraine came riding back to the camp. They were visibly relieved to see that Elara had awakened. Lan couldn't hide his concern and pulled Elara into a tight hug. "Thank the Light! I was beginning to think you had gotten lost in that head of yours again," he said, relief in his voice.

Elara chuckled softly, her voice muffled by Lan's embrace. "Alright, Alright. I would like to breathe now."

Moiraine walked over to Elara, and they brought their foreheads together in a shared moment of relief. Moiraine then gently placed a kiss on Elara's forehead, grateful to see her daughter awake and well. "Only good dreams I hope?" Elara pretended and held a soft reassuring smile, "Of course, Lan was right. I was just exhausted that's all." Elara hoped that was convincing to her mother but she wasn't ready to explain what happened in her dream.

Lan quickly got down to business. "We must get moving. We've spotted signs of an Aes Sedai camp near here. Are you fit to travel?"

Elara looked around, noticing the absence of Egwene, Mat, Rand, and Perrin. Her concern was evident. "Yes, but where are the others?"

Lan nodded and said, "Come, we can discuss this on the ride to the Aes Sedai camp." They all mounted their horses, with Elara riding in the saddle with Lan leading the way. Moiraine and Nynaeve followed behind on horseback.

As they journeyed, Lan explained to Elara how long she had been asleep and what had transpired when they had to escape Shadar Logoth. He also shared the news that they got separated from the others. Elara's concern deepened as she thought about the fate of her friends.

The group eventually stopped on the road as they noticed two Aes Sedai on the cliffs flanking their path. They were confronted on the road by Liandrin Sedai. Behind her, more riders and a horse-drawn cart topped with a large iron cage came into view. Liandrin brought forth a man who was bound in a cage, flanked by Aes Sedai. She proclaimed that he was a man who had named himself Dragon, and she was his captor.